Nest for hens.



.TOACHIM MUHL, OF STRUKKAMP, FEHMARN, GERMANY.

NEST FOR HENS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 15, 1907.Serial No. 368,365.

Patented April 7, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OAOHIM MUHL, farmer, subject of King of Prussia,residing at Strukkamp, Fehmarn, Germany, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Nests for Hens, of which the following is aspecificatlon.

The present invention relates to a nest for hens, intended to preventhiding of the eggs, to protect the hens when laying, and finally tocontrolthe laying of the hens. I

The nest is provided in the known manner with two openings, one beingaccessible from the hen-house, the other leading to a special space, inwhich the hen remains after the egg has been laid. Both openings areclosed by a double flap-door and the nest itself is suspendedeccentrically from the flap door in such a manner, that upon theentering of a hen, the nest is lowered and one part of the door israised, while the other is closed.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention. Figure 1 being afront view partly in section, and Fig. 2 is a sectional viewshowing thenest and door in several posltlons in full and dotted lines, and Fig. 31s a sectional view showing the door and nest in a position differentfrom that shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

The nest consists of the bottom part 1 and the side-walls 2. Between theside walls 2 a double flap door 3 is movably arranged, being suspendedat its vertex by means of the hoop 4. The double-dooris strength: enedby means of iron bands 5, arranged on the sides and fastened to the doorby means of screws. The bands project slightly at one end and areprovided here with slots and recesses, from which the nest can besuspended by means of the pin 6. In this manner the nest is also carriedby the hoop 4. The end of the right hand part of the double door isprovided with a weight 7. The latter is chosen in such a manner, that itwill hold the empty nest with the door in the position shown in Fig. 2.The left hand opening faces the hen-house, so that a hen may enter thenest underneath the open door. Owing to the load, the nest will belowered, and the door will swing from the position as shown in fulllines in Fig. 2 into that shown by the dot and dash line in said figure.The nest is then closed towards the henhouse, the hen is not disturbedby the other fowls nor driven away from the nest and can lay its egg inpeace. The weighted part of the door 3 is now open so that the hen afterthe laying of the egg can leave the nest. The weighted part of the door3 is then lowered thus closing the nest upon the right side and openingit again towards the hen-house, the nest at the same time being raised.

If a hen before entering the nest hops first on to the edge of it thedoor might close suddenly and drive the hen away. In order to preventthis, on the underside of the nest a serrated rod 8 has been provided,which moves in the slot of the fixed plate 9. The nest, as alreadymentioned, is suspended eccentrically. If, therefore, a hen hops on theedge 10, the nest will swing into the position shown in dotted lines inF 1g. 2, owing to the eccentric weighting and also in consequence of theshock, which the nest receives, when the hen hops on to it. The serratedrod 8 grips the edge of the slotted plate 9, thus preventing a furtherlowering o the nest so that the nest for a short time is held in thisosition. If the hen hops into the nest an sits down on to the bottom,the nest will swing back again, the rod 8 with its serrations coming outof engagement with the plate 9, the nest is then lowered and the changeof the closing door takes place in the manner previously described.

If the nest is to be used for sitting hens, it will not be necessary forthe hens to pass through the nest. By means of the movable rod 11 whichis pivoted to the nest, the nest can then be fixed in the position shownin Fig. 3, by raising the weighted part of the door and supporting itpermanently by means of the rod 11.

What I claim is 1. A nest for hens comprising a box having a bottom partand side walls, a double fla door, means en aging with one flap of t edoor for suspen ing the door, means for suspending the box from theother flap and a weight on the opposite flap for counteracting theweight of the box.

2. A nest for hens comprising a box having a bottom part and side walls,a double fiap door, means for eocentrically suspending the box from oneflap of the door means for suspendin the door from the other flap, aweight on saidlast mentioned flap for counterbalancing the weight of thebox and means for preventing the lowering of the box before the henreaches the bottom of the box.

3. A nest comprising a box having a bottom part and side walls, a doubleflap door to which the box is pivoted at one side of the center of saiddoor, means for suspending the door from the other side of the center, aweight on the door for counterbalancing the weight of the box and meansfor holding the door closed on one side and the box lowered.

4. A nest com rising a box consisting of a bottom part anc side walls, adouble flap door arranged between the side walls of the box, means forsuspending the box from one part of the door, a weight on the other partfor counterbalancing the box and suspending means connected to the doorbetween the weight and the box.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification inthe presence of l two subscribing witnesses.

J OACHIM MUHL.

Witnesses:

J OHS. WULF, HEINR EHLERS.

